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PPA CALLS FOR BORDER BLOCKADES ON APRIL 12

08/04/2023 08:49:00 Sibusiso Zwane

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MANZINI – The Political Party Assembly (PPA) has released its full programme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the April 12, 1973 Decree.

The programme for the commemoration of the day is contained in a press statement, which was released by Ngwane National Liberation Congress’ (NNLCs) Thamsanqa Hlatshwako on behalf of the PPA secretariat. The programme includes border blockades, petition deliveries at Parliament and United Nations (UN) offices. In the press statement, the PPA secretariat said Wednesday, April 12, 2023, will mark 50 years since King Sobhuza II’s 1973 Decree, which banned political parties and supposedly gave the monarchy more power. In that regard, the secretariat said the PPA, in collaboration with the mass democratic movement and international allies remain resolute in demanding citizenship sovereignty to guarantee their democracy and freedom.

International

Therefore, they call upon the citizens of the Kingdom of Eswatini and their international allies to participate in local and international activities of protest on Wednesday. It said the activities include a Matsamo and Oshoek (Ngwenya) border blockade and public procession to centres of power of government and Global Intergovernmental Institutions, such as the United Nations (UN). The secretariat said the PPA would assembly at Parliament at 8am and deliver a petition at 10am.

Thereafter, it said it would join the Multi-stakeholders Forum (MSF), which would be leading the mass democratic movement in a procession at the UN at 10am with the intention of delivering a petition at noon. On the other hand, he said their international ally; the Congress for South African Trade Union (COSATU) would lead a public demonstration in some South African borders for trade blockade.

London

Meanwhile, it added that emaSwati in London, United Kingdom (UK) would also have a demonstration to the Eswatini Embassy. “Our call to government is that it should remove the military in public, ensure a conducive civic participation for political self-determination, suspend the undemocratic Tinkhundla elections, immediate commencement of the inclusive dialogue within international recognised standards,” the PPA secretariat said.

It added that they also demanded that government should pave way for the implementation of a guaranteed effective impartial and independent investigation to the killings of citizens from June 29, 2021 to date. After that, it urged the nation to embrace the call for liberation, freedoms and democratisation of their country to ensure that the dozens of people, who died, did not suffer in vain. It said they should also remember the continuous killings in the country, those who were injured during the massacre, the politically incarcerated, the continued economic enslavement and prolonged poverty that perpetually befalls their country.

Situnge sinjalo nje – Alpheous

MANZINI – Situnge sinjalo nje (its loneliness), says Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.

Nxumalo said the PPA was grandstanding on a totally defunct political agenda - an agenda which had been outlived and pushed into the dustbin of history by the national Constitution of 2005. “Loneliness preoccupies one with irrelevance and anachronistic agendas. It’s a pity!,” the government spokesperson said. On another note, he said government was not aware of any illegal activity that was planned for April 12, 2023. “Besides, anyone or entities with the intentions to break the laws of the land through border blockades will be met with the might of the law,” Nxumalo said.

He said they did not run a banana State here, but a sovereign with all the elements required for State craft. Nxumalo said chaos and disorder had no place in a constitutional and functional democracy like theirs wherein, anyone with genuine grievances could approach the courts for remedy, without putting the country’s peace, security and safety at risk.On the same note, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said as a law enforcing entity, which ensured order in the country, protects lives and property, they had not received a notice about the planned activities.